Flame retardant polyester-acetate fabric

ABSTRACT

THERE IS PROVIDED A PROCESS FOR IMPARTING BOTH DURABLE FLAME RETARDANCE AND A GOOD HAND TO A TEXTILE MATERIAL WHOSE FIBER-FORMING SUBSTANCE CONSISTS OF POLYESTER AND ACETATE FIBERS. IN THIS PROCESS THE TEXTILE MATERIAL IS PASSED THROUGH A SOLUTION OR EMULSION COMPRISED OF A FLAME RETARDANT AMOUNT OF TRIS-2,3-DIBROMOPROPYL PHOSPHATE. THEREAFTER THE TREATED TEXTILE MATERIAL IS CURED BY SUBJECTING IT TO A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 275 TO ABOUT 425 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT FOR FROM ABOUT 15 SECONDS TO ABOUT 10 MINUTES. THERE IS ALSO PROVIDED A FLAME-RETARDED TEXTILE MATERIAL WITH A GOOD HAND WHOSE FIBER-FORMING SUBSTANCE CONSISTS OF POLYESTER AND ACETATE FIBERS, EVEN AFTER 50 HOME LAUNDERINGS, THIS TEXTILE MATERIAL PASSES THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FLAMMABILITY TEST DOC PFF 3-70.

United States Patent Office 3,729,340 Patented Apr. 24, 1973 U.S. Cl. 117-136 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is provided a process for imparting both durable flame retardance and a good hand to a textile material Whose fiber-forming substance consists of polyester and acetate fibers. In this process the textile material is passed through a solution or emulsion comprised of a flame retardant amount of tris-2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate. Thereafter the treated textile material is cured by subjecting it to a temperature of from about 275 to about 425 degrees Fahrenheit for from about 15 seconds to about 10 minutes. There is also provided a flame-retarded textile material with a good hand whose fiber-forming substance consists of polyester and acetate fibers; even after 50 home launderings, this textile material passes the US. Department of Commerce flammability test DOC PFF 3-70.

This invention relates to a process for imparting durable flame retardancy and a good hand to a textile material comprised of polyester fiber, as well as a novel, flame-retarded textile material.

It is diflicult to impart durable flame retardance to polyester textile materials. When, e.g., One loads up the polyester fiber with flame retardant, the hand of th extile material comprising said polyester fiber is adversely affected.

It is thus an object of this invention to provide a process for imparting durable flame retardance and a good hand to textile materials comprised of polyester fiber. It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel textile material with durable flame retardance. In accordance with this invention, there is provided a process for imparting durable flame retardancy to a textile material wherein the fiber-forming substance thereof consists of from about 5 to about 80 percent (by Weight) of acetate fiber and from about 20 to about 95 percent (by weight) of polyester fiber comprising the steps of:

( 1) passing said textile material through a solution or emulsion comprised of a flame-retardant amount of tris-2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate; and

(2) thereafter curing said treated textile material by subjecting it to a temperature of from about 275 to about 425 degrees Fahrenheit for from about 15 seconds to about minutes.

Applicant has discovered that, unexpectedly, when the fiber-forming substance of the textile material consists of both acetate fiber and polyester fiber, via the process of this invention the textile material can be rendered flame retardant and will be more durable (i.e., retain its flame retardancy longer) and have a better hand than a textile material treated by the process described herein whose fiber-forming substance does not contain acetate.

The term textile material, as used herein, refers, to e.g., to fabric, fiber, tow, etc. Thus, e.g., the treatment of a combination yarn comprised of polyester fiber and acetate fiber is within the scope of this invention. The textile material, in addition to being comprised of fiberforming substance, may be comprised of up to about 20 percent of such additives as delustrants, dye site additives, optical brighteners, etc. (by weight of textile material prior to the time it is subjected to the process of this invention). The fiber-forming portion of the textile material consists of from about 5 to about percent (by weight) of acetate fiber and from about 20 to about 95 percent (by weight) of polyester fiber.

The term acetate fiber, as used herein, refers to a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is cellulose acetate. The preferred acetate fiber is an acetate fiber which has not less than 92 percent of the hydroxyl groups acetylated; this is triacetate fiber.

The term polyester fiber, as used herein, is a manufactured fiber in which the fiber-forming substance is any long chain synthetic polymer composed of at least percent by weight of an ester of a dihydric alcohol and terephthalic acid. The preferred polyester fiber occurs when the dihydric alcohol is of the formula HO (CH OH wherein n is from 2 to 10. The most preferred polyester fiber is poly(ethylene terephthalate) fiber.

The fiber-forming substance in the textile material used in the process of this invention consists of acetate fiber and polyester fiber. From about 20 to about 95 percent (by weight) of the fiber-forming substance of said textile material is comprised of polyester fiber,-the remainder thereof (from about 80 to about 5 percent by weight) being comprised of acetate fiber. It is preferred that from about 35 to about 80 percent (by weight) of the fiberforming substance of said textile material be comprised of polyester fiber and that the remainder thereof (from about 65 to about 20 percent by weight) be comprised of acetate fiber.

In the process of this invention the textile material described above is passed into a solution or emulsion comprised of a flame-retardant amount of tris-2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate. Suitable compounds which may be used in said solution or emulsion include, inter alia, tris- 2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate; tris-2,3-dichloropropyl phosphate; tris-Z-chloro, 3-bromo propyl phosphate; tris- 1,3-dibromoisopropyl phosphate; tris-l-bromo, 3-chloroisopropyl phosphate; mono-2,3-dibromopropyl phosphoric acid; bis 2,3-dibromopropyl phosphoric acid; and the like. The most preferred compound is tris2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate.

It is preferred that said solution or emulsion be comprised of from about 2 to 30 percent (by weight) of said compound, although it is even more preferred that said compound comprise from about 5 to 25 percent (by weight) of said solution or emulsion. It is most preferred that said compound comprise about 20 percent (by weight) of said solution or emulsion.

After the textile material used in the process of this invention has been passed through said solution or emulsion,'it may be dried at a temperature of from about 200 to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit to its normal moisture content.

After said textile material has been passed through said solution or emulsion, it is cured at a temperature of from about 275 to about 425 degrees Fahrenheit for from about 15 seconds to about 10 minutes. It is preferred to use a curing temperature of from about 300 to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It is more preferred to cure the textile material at a temperature of from about 325 to about 375 degrees Fahrenheit for from about 0.5 to about 5 minutes.

The solvents and emulsifying agents known to the art may be used to prepare the solutions and emulsion of this invention. Thus, e.g., suitable solvents which may be employed to make solutions of, e.g., tris-2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate include chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, methylene chloride, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and the like.

Thus, e.g., suitable emulsifying agents which may be used for form emulsions of, e.g., tris-2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate include, e.g., emulsifiers comprised of polyglycol ethers.

After the textile material used in the process of this invention has been cured, it may be washed and/ or passed through still another bath to clean chemical residues 011 of the fiber.

In the process of this invention the textile material need not be physically passed through the solution or emulsion described as long as some other means is used which insures that the wet pick up of the textile material from the other means used is comparable to that wet pick up which would be obtained were the fiber to be passed through the solution or emulsion. Thus, e.g., as long as one obtains a wet pick up of from about 60 to 100 percent (and preferably from about 80 to 90 percent), the solution or emulsion may be sprayed onto the textile material.

In order to illustrate some of the preferred embodiments of his invention, applicant presents the following examples which are not to be deemed limitative of his invention. Unless otherwise stated, all parts are by weight and all temperatures are in degrees centigrade.

EXAMPLE 1 A 50/50 polyester/triacetate 8/1 circular knit jersey which was scoured and bleached was passed through an emulsion comprised of 175 grams per liter of tris 2,3- dibromopropyl phosphate and padded at 100 percent wet pickup. It when then dried and cured 3-4 minutes at 330 degrees Fahrenheit.

This fabric passes the U.S. Department of Commerce [flammability test DOC PFF 3-70 and has a durability to laundering which exceeds 100 launderings.

EXAMPLE 2 In substantial accordance with Example 1, a 50/50 polyester/triacetate 18/1 plain jersey was passed through an emulsion comprised of 250 grams of tris-2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate, padded at 100 percent wet pickup, dried, and cured. The jersey was then afterscoured 20 minutes at 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

This fabric passes U.S. Department of Commerce flammability test DOC PFF 3-70 after 50 home launderings and tumble dryings when tested with and without spun polyester seams. Even after the 50 home launderings and tumble dryings, its hand was good.

EXAMPLE 3 When, in accordance with Example 2, a 40/60 polyester/triacetate 18/1 plain jersey was treated, after 50 home launderings and tumble dryings it passed AATCC Vertical Flame Test 34-1966. Similarly good results were obtained with a 80/20 polyester/triacetate 20/1 plain jersey and a 50/50 polyester/secondary acetate 8/1 plain jersey when treated in accordance with Example 2.

The textile material of this invention is comprised of the aforementioned phosphorus compound; when it is passed through the solution or emulsion comprised of said phosphorus compound, it does not necessarily pick up all of said compound. Thus, e.g., one typically obtains a wet pick up of from about 60 to about 100 percent.

The textile material of this invention, even after it has been subjected to at least 50* home laundering cycles has a good hand and retains flame retardance. Thus, after said material has been subjected to at least 50 home laundering cycles and is tested in accordance with Department of Commerce flammability test DOC PFF 3-70 it passes the flammability test. The preferred textile material of this invention passes said flammability test even after it has been subjected to at least home laundering cycles.

Although the above examples and descriptions of the invention have been very specifically illustrated, many other modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the disclosure; these are intended to be comprehended within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for imparting durable flame retardancy to a textile material whose fiber-forming substance consists of from about 50 to about 60 percent by weight of cellulose triacetate fiber and from about 40 to about 50 percent by weight of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fiber comprising the steps of sequentially:

(a) passing said textile material through a solution or emulsion comprised of from about 2 to about 30 percent by weight of tris-2,3-dibromopropyl phosphate,

(b) drying said textile material to its normal moisture content, and

(c) curing the treated textile material by subjecting it to a temperature of from about 275 to about 425 degrees Fahrenheit for from about 15 seconds to about 10 minutes.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said treated textile material is cured by subjecting it to a temperature of from about 300 to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein said treated textile material is cured by subjecting it to a temperature of from about 325 to about 375 degrees Fahrenheit for from about 0.5 to about 5 minutes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,662,834 12/1953 Paist et al ll7136 X 2,660,543 12/1953 Walter et al. 117l36 3,597,147 8/1971 Bille et al a- 8-115.7 X 3,617,196 11/1971 Gale 8115.7 X 3,607,745 9/1971 Di Pietro 117-136 X 3,468,678 9/1969 Clampitt et al. 106 -15 3,321,330 5/1967 Mohney 117136 3,507,688 4/1970 Carl et a1 117-136 3,307,214 3/1967 Belvedere 1l7l36 X 2,330,251 9/ 1943 Taylor et al. 117-136 3,093,599 6/1963 Mueller-Tamm et al.

OTHER REFERENCES Barber et al.: A Study of Fire Retardancy Am. Dye Rptr., May 6, 1968, pp. 40-44.

Update: Flame Retardant Chemicals, Textile World, October, 1969, p. 105.

MURRAY KATZ, Primary Examiner H. J. GWINNELL, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. l17l38.8 F, 144 

